Straight leaders of color and organizations come out in support of LGBT families of color!

More than 140 leaders and organizations have signed on in support of Basic Rights Oregon’s “Come Out For Our Families” ad campaign, including Lee Po Cha, associate director of Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization and Michael Alexander, president and CEO of Urban League of Portland: http://bit.ly/18t8mmm

“Come Out For Our Families” is a series of ads published in local ethnic media throughout Oregon on or around Oct. 11, which is National Coming Out Day, a day of awareness for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

The ads feature straight leaders of color and organizations that work in communities of color. Endorsers state that they believe communities are strongest when all families – extended families, multi-generational families, single-parent families and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families – have the resources, respect, and love they need to thrive.

“In order to grow, and support a healthy and tolerant community, the Eugene/Springfield branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) recognizes the need to advocate and support strong and unified LGBT families of color,” said Eric Richardson, President NAACP Eugene/Springfield, one of the supporters. “Through unity comes strength.”

“‘Come Out For Our Families’ shows the broad support for people of color who also identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender,” said Khalil Edwards, organizer for Basic Rights Oregon’s racial justice and alliance building program and coordinator for PFLAG Portland Black Chapter. “The campaign helps dispel the myth of heightened homophobia in communities of color, and it helps dismantle the race wedge that is too often used to pit communities of color against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Many of us hold multiple identities.”

The ad campaign is led by Our Families, an education and advocacy volunteer team that is part of Basic Rights Oregon’s racial justice program.